A Feast With Friends Makes For A Lighter Soul

Our friends came over last evening for a BBQ.

An eclectic couple with large hearts that "he" hides behind with his gravely man voice and stoic stance while "she" flits around and sprinkles gentleness like dust from butterfly wings.

"He" was the one who introduced Lord V to me 6 years ago: "I know someone you're going to like, she's a good gal..."

And for months while Lord V and I were beginning to date and getting to know each other he would call me faithfully, each night, inquiring how my day was and how things were going.

A short, 2 minute call, like a Dad checking in.

He seemed to know when we moved past the stage of dating and into the deeper relationship of falling in love. The nightly phone calls stopped. He no longer checked in. He handed his watch over to Lord V with faith that I was in good hands.

They stood around me last night while I grilled huge T-bone steaks on our outdoor BBQ. The air was moody with the smell of oncoming rain and mingled nicely with the cooking food.

We talked of their recent travels and work around their garden at home. They exclaimed over my new garden and listened to my plans for more yard renovations while I shifted the meat on the flames and shook the grill basket of roasted red potatoes, carrots and onions cooking slowly beside the steaks.

The flow of our chatter followed into the dining room where we consumed our feast over cold glasses of beer and a bottle of red wine.

We finished with Key Lime Pie and French press coffee then ambled to the family room to the sofa and talked until the sun went to bed and the stars peeked through our windows.

I yawned and like a mother hen "she" gathered up "him" and declared it time for me to get to bed as I had to work early in the morning.

Hugs, manly handshakes and a wave as they drove back to their home and the evening was done.

I awoke this morning and the heaviness that has pressed upon me since the death of my friend was lighter, more bearable. The pain still lingers like a canker sore inside me, but its better and I find myself smiling today.